At the end of the cramps, Rinderknech went to seek his first Grand Slam victory

This time he holds it! Arthur Rinderknech had suffered a painful loss in the first round of Wimbledon, bowing out 13-12 in the 5th set tie-break to one point from victory. On Monday in New York, the atypical Frenchman fought another epic battle but left the court victorious. After 4:20 of struggle, he prevailed against Miomir Kecmanovic, (6-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4).

It is a success that validates the constant progress of this player for a year and a half now. Before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Rinderknech had indeed started its rise on the challenger circuit. Entered the Top 100 this summer, he arrived at Flushing Meadows with the sign 83 on the back and he will still progress in the standings at the end of this US Open.

Over 80 net climbs!

Beaten by the young Kecmanovic in Belgrade in April, the Frenchman who traveled to the United States and studied in Texas took quite a revenge. Badly embarked after the loss of the first two sets, he hung on, despite the cramps that handicapped him in the last part of the match, in particular by rushing to the net with more than 80 climbs throughout the game! But after having glued two sets everywhere, he was able to capitalize on a quick break at the start of the decisive round. He then finished with a shutout, to collapse on the court, overcome as much by joy as by fatigue.

Arthur Rinderknech brings a little ray of sunshine in the tricolor greyness. In men, he is indeed the only one, with Adrian Mannarino, to have won on Monday. But “Manna” faced another Frenchman, Pierre-Hugues Herbert (and he too won in five sets after losing the first two. It remains to be seen how he will recover before his next round, where the youngster awaits him and fresh Carlos Alcaraz, who only needed three sets to stifle Briton Cameron Orrie, but whatever happens, Rinderknech will not have wasted his time in New York.